( does anyone else doubt she is really taking this break for family reasons ? sounds like there was some dirt dug up on her department . and people are not happy to learn all these bureaucrats and executives got bonuses well other employees within government weren't being properly paid )

Public Services Minister Judy Foote leaves after speaking to the media in Miramichi, N.B., on Wednesday, July 27, 2016. Foote is stepping away from her job temporarily.

Public Services and Procurement Minister Judy Foote is taking a leave of absence from her job, the Prime Minister’s Office announced on Thursday afternoon.

In a statement, the prime minister said Foote’s leave was temporary.

“She will be away until further notice for personal and family reasons,” Justin Trudeau wrote.

“As Parliamentarians, our family should always be our priority, and I commend her for taking the time to be with her loved ones. We look forward to having her back in Ottawa.”

The move comes less than a day after Global News and other media outlets reported that 340 executives in Foote’s department received executive pay or bonuses late last year, totalling nearly $5 million.

The department has been struggling for 14 months to deal with a meltdown of the new Phoenix pay system. The system launched early in 2016 and promptly flamed out, resulting in tens of thousands of public servants being underpaid, overpaid or not paid at all.

"As parliamentarians, our priorities should always be our families ..." -- and what about the taxpayers' families? What about the next generation, left holding the bag, paying the interest for Ms. Foote's largesse? Giving away borrowed money. You know it's true.

It's only generosity if it's your own money. Or do you think the government has money? It has no money, it extorts it from its victims, those poor subjects of the Queen who are milked annually ... or go to jail.

Not sure the details but from people I've spoken to her leave is for family reasons.

She has struggled in her department though.

its one of those situations where it could be a legitimate leave of absence but at the same time the department/ministry she was running has some serious problems which have yet to be resolved

Foote was a cabinet minister in the NL government for 7 years so I've been a bit surprised at her poor handling of this portfolio. I've wondered if part of it is because she has been focused on files for NL rather than running the department.

I have seen numerous comments about her family though from people locally, so this isn't an attempt on her part to hide.

Public Services and Procurement Minister Judy Foote has been on leave from cabinet since spring for personal reasons. She will vacate her seat in the House of Commons later this year.

Public Services Minister Judy Foote will announce her resignation on Thursday, CBC News has learned.

The Newfoundland and Labrador MP has been on leave from cabinet since spring for personal reasons.

But sources speaking on condition of anonymity say Foote will announce her permanent departure at a news conference in St. John's on Thursday. She will also announce she will resign as a member of Parliament later this year.

Foote started telling political supporters and close associates of her decision on Wednesday.

Foote has been the minister responsible for overseeing the implementation of the federal government's new Phoenix payroll system.

Since federal workers had their files moved to Phoenix last spring, tens of thousands of public servants, retirees and employees on leave have reported problems with their pay, with some being overpaid, some paid too little and some not at all.

Testifying before a House of Commons committee last September, she said that she received repeated assurances that the Phoenix system was ready to go when it fully launched in the spring, before rolling the new system out.

Biggest win in the country

Foote was first elected to the House of Commons in 2008 and was re-elected in 2011 and 2015 for the region of Bonavista-Burin-Trinity.

She was the first Newfoundland and Labrador cabinet minister at the federal table since former Conservative MP Peter Penashue, who was minister of Intergovernmental Affairs from 2011 until he resigned his seat in 2013.

She won the last election with nearly 82 per cent of the vote, the highest percentage of any candidate in the country.

Foote, who served as director of communications in the office of former Newfoundland and Labrador premier Clyde Wells for seven years, later represented the southern Newfoundland district of Grand Bank in the provincial legislature between 1996 and 2007.

She served in the provincial cabinets of former Liberal premiers Brian Tobin and Roger Grimes.

Public Services Minister Judy Foote will announce her resignation from cabinet on Thursday.

CTVNews.ca Staff
Published Wednesday, August 23, 2017 10:17PM EDT

Public Services Minister Judy Foote will announce her resignation from cabinet on Thursday, CTV News has confirmed.

The Newfoundland and Labrador MP is expected to announce her departure at a news conference in St. John’s on Thursday.

Foote took an indefinite leave of absence earlier this year, citing personal and family reasons without elaborating further. She has a history of breast cancer but it’s not known if health issues prompted her to step down.

Judy Foote
Public Services and Procurement Minister Judy Foote responds during Question Period in the House of Commons, in Ottawa. (Adrian Wyld/The Canadian Press)

Two rookie Liberal MHAs, Carole Anne Haley (Burin-Grand Bank) and Mark Browne (Placentia West-Bellevue) refused to give a direct answer Thursday when asked if they might be interested in becoming the next MP for Bonavista-Burin-Trinity.

Newfoundland member of Parliament Judy Foote leaves more than just a solid legacy of public service when she officially walks away from politics next month.

Her unmatched success at the polls in the 2015 federal election, which saw her receive 82 per cent of the vote in the riding of Bonavista-Burin-Trinity, sets up an interesting dynamic as her potential successors test the waters.

The toughest challenge for those wanting to fill her seat in the House of Commons?

Judy Foote resigns
An emotional Judy Foote is flanked by her family, as she officially announces she is resigning from cabinet, and will resign as MP in September. (Terry Roberts/CBC)

So who might want the job?

That's something few wanted to talk about Thursday as Foote announced her resignation as the minister of public services and procurement, and her upcoming retirement from the political life she has led for 20 years.

But all the signs point to a hotly contested Liberal nomination race.

"I think today is about Judy and we can talk tomorrow," Burin-Grand Bank MHA Carole Anne Haley answered when asked if she will challenge for the nomination.

She didn't say no. She didn't say yes.

Neither did Placentia West-Bellevue MHA Mark Browne.

"There's going to be lots of time to talk about tomorrow, but today we're honouring decades of legacy of Judy Foote and she has left a tremendous mark on politics in this province."

Haley and Browne are both protégés of Judy Foote, and have strong connections to Foote's riding.

"I'm an MHA because of her help and support," said Browne.

"She's been an excellent mentor to me," added Haley.

Various other names are being floated as a potential successor to Foote, including provincial education minister and Burin Peninsula native Dale Kirby.

Darin King announces retirement
Darin King is the former Tory MHA for Grand Bank, and currently works as the executive director for the province's building trades council. (CBC)

But how about a former PC cabinet minister?

Yes. Darin King, who served as the Tory MHA for Grand Bank for a decade until 2015, says his phone has been ringing, and he isn't ruling out switching party allegiance.

"When you've been there and have the bug, it never really leaves you, so obviously if there is an opportunity now — then I'll take some time to give it some consideration," said King.

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